


Take Your Time Coming Home

by vociferocity



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Post-Sburb/Sgrub
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-15
Updated: 2015-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 17:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3177940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vociferocity/pseuds/vociferocity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Game. Kanaya helps Terezi with a costume and her love-life. In a manner of speaking.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Your Time Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tasbine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tasbine/gifts).



Kanaya knocks on the door of Terezi's hive – house, she corrects herself mentally. On this new planet, even trolls live in houses. It's a small place, surrounded by newly growing trees that Kanaya herself has planted. For all her living in a forest, Terezi has a deeply black thumb.

The door opens, and Kanaya is greeted with Terezi's knife-sharp smile. It's as wide as it has been recently – which is to say, not wide at all.

“Hey,” Kanaya says, and holds up a green linen tote bag, swatches of fabric poking out the top. “Costume time?”

Terezi's smile turns genuine, and she steps away from the door so Kanaya can enter. The inside of Terezi's house is gorgeous, all white walls and wood accents; it feels cool even when the sun is blazing. Not that Terezi can properly appreciate it. Well, Kanaya amends as she sees a lick-mark drying on the wall, perhaps she can.

“I thought you were someone else,” Terezi says. “He's been pestering me non-stop. Very irritating!”

“Boys,” Kanaya sighs, as if she has any idea. “Have you been replying?”

Terezi shrugs. So – probably not.

Kanaya sighs again. “You should. He's just worried about you – they all are. Nobody's seen you in so long. Since the end of the game, practically.”

“You have,” Terezi says. “You see me all the time.”

I don't count, Kanaya doesn't say. Instead, she says, “I suppose that's true.”

“And I'm about to roleplay with Nepeta,” Terezi continues, building up steam, counting off points on her fingers. “And I sent a message to Vriska the other day.”

“Oh?” Kanaya asks, genuinely interested. The V word has been basically taboo in this house.

Terezi looks away, licks an idle fingernail. “Well, I said hi. And to stop bothering me. But I still said something.”

It's an improvement, so Kanaya leaves it. She takes her bag into the study, and begins. Terezi has a bunch of ideas and a few drawings from Nepeta, and it doesn't take long for Kanaya to update her measurements. Terezi hasn't grown a lot since the last costume Kanaya made for her.

Soon enough, they're sitting on the back porch with snacks and red cordial, and then Kanaya's leaving with her bag stuffed with sketches and licked swatches.

 

The next time Kanaya knocks on the door of Terezi's house, Terezi has a real smile on her face.

“I messaged him back,” she admits. “It was...kind of awkward! But also good, I guess. You were right.”

“I always am,” Kanaya says with a wink, sweeping into the study. “Let's make sure this fits.”

The costume is based on a legislacerator's outfit, of course, with some extra details to make it look “COOL3R”. Terezi is pleased as punch with it, if Kanaya interprets her gleeful licking accurately.

They watch some ridiculous old Earth movie that Terezi's tracked down and eat popcorn until their fingers are sticky and laugh until they're breathless, and Kanaya leaves with her heart feeling light.

 

Kanaya knocks on the door of Terezi's house with the finished costume in her bag. When Terezi opens the door, her face is tired and sad.

“I don't want to talk about it,” she says, when Kanaya asks, but she waves Kanaya in and lets her make tea for them both.

They curl up on the couch with cups of tea and sit in silence for a long while, until Terezi sighs and begins.

“Sometimes...I don't know,” she says. “I guess I just miss who we all were, on Alternia. Who he was, who I thought she was. Who I thought I was.”

“Oh, Terezi,” Kanaya says. There's something clenching in her chest, and Terezi must realise, because she gives Kanaya this awful rictus grin and laughs her broken-glass laugh and before Kanaya even realises what she wants to do, she's already leaned over and her palm is flat against Terezi's cheek.

Terezi's skin is cool and dry and soft against her hand. Kanaya's heart is in her throat. Her eyes are locked on Terezi's, who looks as astonished as Kanaya feels. Almost on autopilot, Kanaya slides her hand down the side of Terezi's face, firm but gentle. Terezi lets out a soft sigh as her eyes flutter shut, and that's exactly when it becomes too much for Kanaya to handle. She leaps off the couch, spilling the tea, and races out of the house.

 

— gallowsCalibrator [GC] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA] —  
GC: K4N4Y4...YOU D1DNT H4V3 TO L34V3  
GC: 1 KNOW B31NG P4L3 FOR SOM3ON3 D1DNT WORK OUT FOR YOU L4ST T1M3, BUT TH1S 1S D1FF3R3NT  
GC: 3V1D3NC3: YOU DONT H4V3 FLUSH3D F33L1NGS FOR ME  
GC: 4ND 1M NOT 4N 4SSHOL3  
GC: ...K4N4Y4, 4R3 YOU 3V3N R34D1NG TH1S?  
— grimAuxiliatrix [GA] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC] —

 

— arachnidsGrip [AG] began trolling grimAuxiliatrix [GA] —  
AG: Don't think I don't see what you're doing. Very sneaky! Keeping her on her toes!  
GA: To What Are You Referring  
AG: Terezi!!!!!!!! My sister? Who you're trying to get with???????  
GA: I Was Not Aware The Two Of You Were Actually Talking  
AG: Well...we're not. But I can always tell when something's up with her! And I've done some poking around, everyone knows how you feel!  
GA: I Have Absolutely No Idea What You Are Talking About I Hope You Know That Vriska  
AG: Poppycock!!!!!!!!  
GA: You Are Spending Too Much Time With The Green Male Human  
AG: Don't change the subject, Fussyfangs! You're trying to woo Terezi, it's obvious!  
GA: I Am Afraid You Have It Entirely Backwards  
GA: This Is What Actually Happened:  
GA: She Has Inadvertently Wooed Me And I Behaved In A Manner That Might Suggest She Was Doing It On Purpose And I Was Alright With It  
GA: More Than Alright To Be Perfectly Honest With You  
GA: And Then I Became Cognizant Of The Fact That The Wooing Was Accidental And I Must Admit I Behaved Like A Feathered Cluckbeast And Made A Hasty Embarrassed Retreat  
AG: Kan, talk like a real troll for once, would you?  
GA: I papped her like an idiot and then I ran away  
AG: Oh, Fussyfangs. You know she likes you back, right?  
GA: Thank You For The Kind Words But I Am Sure You Are Mistaken  
AG: Noooooooope! Terezi is super pale for you, it's obvious! You guys are basically moirails already, jeez!  
GA: I Do Not Think That Is True  
AG: It is!!!!!!!! Do I have to type like a retard to get it through your thick horned head? Terezi Is A Total Pale Mess About You And Wants To Cuddle You In A Pile Of Cushions And Cry About Her Problems!!!!!!!!  
GA: Oh  
GA: Er  
GA: Excuse Me A Moment  
— grimAuxiliatrix [GA] ceased trolling arachnidsGrip [AG] —  
AG: ........Bye?

 

— grimAuxiliatrix [GA] began trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC] —  
GA: Terezi  
GA: …  
GA: I Dont Know What To Say  
GA: But I Guess I Can Say This:  
GA: I Am On My Way  
GA: <>  
— grimAuxiliatrix [GA] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC] —  
GC: …  
GC: <>


End file.
